Visualize dependencies in a dependency map

There are the following types of dependency maps to suit the need for dependency visualization at different levels across the organization:

• Team status
• Incremental status
• Wheel view
• Grid view
• Analytics view
• Link map

To view a dependency map:

1. Select Portfolios, Programs, or Teams in the top navigation bar and select the entity you want to view, create, or manage dependencies for.
2. On the sidebar, select Reports in the list of options.
3. Select Dependency maps; the dependency maps page displays.
4. Select Maps in the upper-right.
5. Select the desired map view from the Maps menu on the toolbar (top-right of the page).

Team status

With the Team Status dependency map, you can view dependencies by team and prioritize them as needed.

• Right arrows are dependencies that the current team needs to deliver to another team.
• Down arrows are dependencies that the current team needs from another team.

To view a team status dependency map:

1. From the Team drop-down menu that appears, select a team. Under the Ranked Dependency List, you can view the full detailed list of dependencies for that team.
2. Under Quick Filters, select the Team Needs From Others option to view the dependencies that the current team needs from another team. Other options are:
   
   • Team Building. Show dependencies that the current team needs to deliver to another team.
   • Done. Show dependencies that are done.
   • Committed in Progress. Show dependencies that are committed and in work.
   • Not Committed. Show dependencies that are not committed.
3. Type a number in the Rank column to prioritize the dependencies, and then click Save.

Note: From the Team drop-down menu, select another team to view its dependency list.

Tips

• The legend (color wheel icon) in the upper-right corner indicates the status of the dependency.
• Point to any dependency to view its details.
• Click any dependency arrow to open its details and manage the status.

Incremental status

With the Incremental Status dependency map, you can view dependencies by program to assist with coordinating the required work effort. The dependency map shows all dependencies in a list format with a status:

• Delivered
• Not delivered
• Rejected or no work required
• Not committed or blocked

To use an incremental status dependency map:

1. From the Dependency Level drop-down menu, select the dependency level you want to view: Team or Program.

Tips

• The legend (color wheel icon) in the upper-right corner indicates the status of the dependency.
• Use the filtering options (Extra Configs) in the upper-right corner to limit your view to only the items you need.
• Click any dependency name in the list to open its details and manage the status.

Wheel view

The Wheel View dependency map shows all teams/programs with dependencies represented by lines between those teams/programs.

Note: All program increments shows all program dependencies based on user permissions. 

To use a wheel dependency map:

1. Use the toggle keys on the top of the page to view dependencies based on Features, Epics, or Capabilities.
2. Expand the Feature, Epic, or Capabilities menu to select the dependency level you want to view. The following levels are available depending on the work item you select.
   
   

   Program Dependencies	Team and External Dependencies
   The resulting report shows all programs with program level dependencies represented by lines between the programs. This provides good visibility on how programs depend on each other and which epics are affected by these dependencies.	The resulting report shows all teams with team level dependencies represented by lines between the teams. External entities appear here as well. If you select a program, you can filter the report by items (teams, external entities, and dependencies) outside the program and items (teams and dependencies) within the program.

3. Optionally, select if you want to view items with no dependencies (Show Only Associated) and not active teams (Show Inactive).

Tips

• The legend (color wheel icon) in the upper-right corner indicates the status of the dependency.
• Click any team or program name to open a list of dependencies for the team or program (on the right side).
• Click any dependency name in the list to open its details and manage the status.

Grid view

The Grid View dependency map shows a count of dependencies between teams. Click any number in the grid to view a more detailed report with a list of all dependencies. External entities appear here as well.

To use a grid dependency map:

1. From the Dependency Level drop-down menu, select the dependency level you want to view: Team or Program.
2. Optionally, select if you want to view empty rows (unassociated), only delivered, or only committed dependencies.

Tips

• Use the filtering options (Extra Configs) in the upper-right corner to limit your view to only the dependency type you need.
• Click any dependency name in the list to open its details and manage the status.

Analytics view

The Analytics View dependency map is a dependency cluster analysis. This report shows where dependencies cluster so you can see which teams and programs have the most. This way you know where to focus your dependency reduction efforts.

Dependencies are grouped in the following way:

Team

• Cluster by team as a percentage of a team with most dependencies
• Cluster by team as a percentage of all dependencies
• Count by team by PI

Program

• Cluster by program as a percentage of a program with most dependencies
• Cluster by program as a percentage of all dependencies
• Count by program by PI

To use an analytics dependency map:

1. From the Dependency Level drop-down menu, select the dependency level you want to view: Team or Program.

Link map

In Jira Align, you can use the links functionality to sequence work items. It is used to create a link from one theme, epic, capability, feature, or story to another one to define that the work item cannot be started before the other one is finished.

The link map shows links between these work items in a grid view. Click the cross sign in the grid to view the relationships between the items that have the predecessors and successors for the item.

To use a link map:

1. Select the start and end dates to filter the link map by dates.
2. Click Filter.
3. Optionally, select the program increment and link status (all, delivered, or in progress).
   Note: Click any work item name in the list to view its details.
4. Click the cross sign in the grid to view a visualization chart where you can see the items related to each other on the timeline with respective dates and milestones.

Visualization chart

The main item is highlighted in blue in its row on the map. The related stories appear in the sprints they are assigned to. The related themes, epics, capabilities, and features appear in the sprints based on the following rules:

• For predecessors, if all child stories are assigned to sprints, the theme, epic, capability, or feature appears in the last sprint the stories are assigned to.
• For successors, if all child stories are assigned to sprints, the theme, epic, capability, or feature appears in the first sprint the stories are assigned to.

Predecessors

Themes, epics, capabilities, features, and stories appear in the At Risk column based on the following rules:

• A theme, a capability (at least one of its child stories or features), a story, a feature, or an epic (at least one of its child stories, features, or capabilities) is in the unassigned backlog OR
• A theme, a capability (at least one of its child stories or features), a story, a feature, or an epic (at least one of its child stories, features, or capabilities) is assigned to the same sprint as the main item OR
• A theme, a capability (at least one of its child stories or features), a story, a feature, or an epic (at least one of its child stories, features, or capabilities) is assigned to the sprint that comes after the sprint of the main item.

Successors

Themes, capabilities, epics, features, and stories appear in the Unassigned column based on the following rule:

• If a theme, a capability (at least one of its child stories or features), a story, a feature, or an epic (at least one of its child stories or features) is in the unassigned backlog.